


and so we meet

by Lord_Maple



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Underage Sex, Interrogation, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Canon, Self-Indulgent, it's really just going to be naoto and goro talking, that's the only reason i'm writing this fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-08
Updated: 2018-01-12
Packaged: 2019-02-12 06:35:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12953442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lord_Maple/pseuds/Lord_Maple
Summary: A boy fell from the sky and the Shadow Operatives knew right away that something was amiss.





	1. Chapter 1

It really was supposed to be a normal day. After all, it’s been quite normal for the past few months or so. The Phantom Thief debacle has died down and after a decent amount of investigation, it became pretty clear that the strange existence of Shadows was involved. (I mean, Tokyo literally turned into hell for like, a good few hours, even though anyone without a Persona remembered.) The mysterious changes of heart. The connection to Wakaba Isshiki’s research. Although the identities of these so-called thieves are unknown, the similarities between the recently recovered research on cognitive psience and the ones that related to previous incidents.  
  
As bizarre as these things seem, it was normal. Bizarre things are more common than one would think, and it’s the Shadow Operative’s job to handle it.  
  
But nothing could’ve prepared them for the half-dead boy crashing through the ceiling.  
  
Now, Naoto Shirogane was on an investigative job. As per the request of Public Safety, she had already interviewed with the victims of the Phantom Thieves. All of them had committed horrible crimes, and the evidence certainly points to all of them being guilty. As far as she is concerned, the Phantom Thieves certainly had served justice when the police couldn’t.  
  
And yet, there was something that nagged her.  
  
No, it would be more accurate to say that many things nagged her. The fact that she, once again, is too busy to hang out with her comrades from Inaba is one of them. The fact the victims’ attitudes, sobbing their eyes out, had gotten more withdrawn since they first confessed is also something that deeply bothered her. The fact that one of them, Suguru Kamoshida, had committed suicide, and that she was one of the first people to see the body was also a less than pleasant experience.  
  
But there was one thing that was worse than any of those things: a visible, blank space. Right in the middle of the picture known as truth.  
  
The cases surrounding the victims are generally open and shut. Even the one regarding the formerly popular candidate for Prime Minister, Masayoshi Shido, is only questionable in its verdict solely because of his connections. Well, if he acts like any of the previous victims during the trial, it won’t be too hard on the judge.  
  
The problem lies with the person who performed these deeds for him.  
  
He was pretty tight-lipped regarding who performed the mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns. Yes, he admitted in orchestrating them, but who was the metaphorical gun that shot the bullet? He had no problems with outing his other associates, including those who were involved with the underground. It didn’t matter if they were supporting politicians or yakuza, Shido was compliant with the law and listed them all out.  
  
But just this one person, he refuses to spill a single detail, not even a pseudonym. And more likely than not, this was the person who had connections with the realm the Shadow Operatives are concerned with. After all, mental shutdowns were something that was listed as one of the theoretical possibilities that could happen in the cognitive world, or so Isshiki had written.  
  
Shirogane had deduced two possibilities: either there was foul play, or not.  
  
The former implies that the so-called culprit tampered with Shido’s behavior. They may have rigged something in the cognitive world or manipulated Shido when he was in a vulnerable state. They would have to have done this fairly easily, as the time period between his change of heart, supposedly when the calling card was sent, to the time he was properly arrested. Was this person involved in the drastic change in the attitude of the general public? Who knows.  
  
On the other hand, the latter implies that the culprit didn’t do anything to Shido and it played out as it should be after a change of heart. This speaks much more about the culprit and would answer more questions. The only reason why a reformed person wouldn’t tell this person’s name is that they either believe revealing the person’s name would do more harm than good. They would be undoubtedly be working under Shido’s thumb, for whatever motives they have. Perhaps, they were a victim in a sense.  
  
There is a reason why Shirogane thinks that there was no foul play. Aside from the fact that there is no evidence of it happening, if the culprit wanted to hide their tracks by manipulating Shido, why didn’t they just kill him? Well, then again, it’s not like she knew what’s going on in that person’s mind. If she did, there wouldn’t be a point of meeting the elected Prime Minister, huh?  
  
The wait was over. The guard opened the door for the man and once again, the former Detective Prince saw the man’s eyes-- drenched in despair just like before. The man is at least sitting up straight this time, though the limp of his shoulders show that he isn’t back to his former self.  
  
“I apologize for calling you out on such short notice. I’m sure you already know from our previous encounter, but I’m Naoto Shirogane, a detective cooperating with the Special Investigations Unit in Tokyo. I called you here today for questioning in light of the new information we’ve found.” When Shido nodded for her to continue, she did just that.  
  
“The research on cognitive psience has been discovered in your residence as you have told us, but after analyzing the documents, it still raises a few questions, despite the answers it gave us. First off, from what you have already said, you spoke as if only one person was responsible for the shutdowns and the psychotic breakdowns, so I assume they work in solitude. Can you confirm that this is true?” Shido chewed his lip. Of course, it wouldn’t be that simple.  
  
“Shido. You do not have to disclose this person’s name or any other identifying qualities. I only wish to discuss the kind of work you made this person do.”  
  
A few moments of silence. A lie is needed.  
  
“I need this information to properly convict you. Your supporters are too loyal and influential. We need more than a confession to put you to justice.” Shirogane leaned in a little closer. “Isn’t that what you want? I won’t touch the case revolving your last associate.” But others might. Shido probably realized that and kept his silence.  
  
“If you like, we can make a deal. If it does come to the case where that person’s arrest is inevitable, I’ll make sure that his arrest will come after all of your other accomplices within the government and the law department are arrested. I’ll have to pull some strings, but it’s doable. If you truly believe that that person doesn’t deserve the punishment others had, then a fair trial will see it as such, no?” Silence.  
  
“ _Shido._ ”  
  
“...Yes.” Finally. “It was only that person.”

“I assume you hired them?”

“They approached me personally and offered their powers.” His voice was mechanical. Seemingly unfeeling, but held no power. It was a voice of crumbling strength. Tired. Just tired.  
  
“Your assassin offered their powers to induce a mental shutdown?”  
  
“No, they didn’t know how to do that at first.” He crossed his legs. “The ability to even access the cognitive world was amazing on its own, so they offered their strength to me. It provided a wealth of information.” That’s true, Shirogane thought. It’s a cognitive world, a literal representation of one’s inner mind, not too unlike the dungeons of the TV world.  
  
“So this assassin of yours wasn’t an assassin at the start.” Strange. Why offer his powers to Shido of all people? Was he seeking power beyond his paycheck?  
  
“Yes, I…” Shido hiccupped. He didn’t break, but the crack in his voice didn’t do anything to convince Shirogane that he is over his sins. “I… deceived him.” A male, huh. “I told them to kill Isshiki’s shadow as an experiment. I already heard the theory about what happened when they die, so I… made them kill someone without telling them that they did.” Back to gender-neutral terms, but it’s too late.  
  
“I see….” So he used that to keep his assassin under his control. When you kill someone and someone as powerful as Shido knows, the best you could get for defying him is life in prison. No, even that is too optimistic. “Wait, Shadow? You are familiar with the existence of Shadows?” Isshiki didn’t mention the word ‘Shadow’ in her papers. How could she, after all?  
  
“That’s what my hitman called them. Before then, I simply called them the person’s other self as Isshiki had.” Not inaccurate. But this person called them Shadows despite not having a known guide. Did they have access to the so-called Velvet Room? Or were they told by someone else?  
  
“How did this person contact you in the first place? I doubt you grant just anyone audience.”  
  
“I can’t tell you that.” Shido’s words were spoken a bit too hastily.  
  
“Why?”  
  
“It would give them away.” Give him away? Then, was it someone that was already close to Shido by that time? Or was it simply someone that was of great importance? No, that alone isn’t enough to ‘give them away’. A specific method that only one or few people could pull off…. More research needs to be done.  
  
“Then let’s move on to the psychotic breakdowns. I didn’t find information on that in Isshiki’s research papers.”  
  
“I don’t know much, but… I pressured them into spilling it out.”  
  
“Pressured?”  
  
“I had… reasons to suspect that they were hiding something and...” He gulped. “I told them that they could be easily erased if information gathering is all they could do. They told me right away.” Manipulation. Again, just what was his initial intention? Why Shido?  
  
“It’s strange how you never suspected your assassin’s motives. They’re doing an awful lot with seemingly little gain.” Unless a wad of cash is more than ‘little gain’ to them, but they didn’t have to tackle a public figure like Shido for that. It’s unnecessarily dangerous.  
  
“Everyone has motives for associating with me. It’s simply a matter of keeping them in line.” Shido’s lips tightened. “Or so I thought.”  
  
“Not even with someone who could easily have killed you? Someone who could drive you insane?”  
  
“...Even with those powers, h-- they… I didn’t think they would do it.”  
  
“I don’t understand.” The power to kill without leaving a trace of evidence. The power to drive people to have a mental breakdown. He could arguably cause more chaos than Adachi ever did and yet this person’s choice was to work under Shido rather than committing crimes solo. If it was just power, it’s unlikely they would care if it’s in the form of adoration or fear. At least, that’s usually the case.  
  
Could Shido be…?  
  
“I can’t explain it specifically, but to put in simple terms, I knew they had some goal in order to approach me. That goal, I figured, required me to be alive.”

“Even so, that’s insufficient reason to trust them, especially with everything you had over them. There had to have been another reason.”

“....” Silence. Shido refused to respond for some reason. Hmm. But it’s true that this person didn’t go kill Shido when they could, regardless of Shido’s reason for trusting them. Shido had to have been someone important to them. It’s strange, but that’s the only reason why Shirogane could think of.  
  
That narrows the suspect list.  
  
“Moving on. What else did your assassin do for you? Or rather, what else did you make them do, if at all?”  
  
“...Entertainment.”  
  
“Hmm?”  
  
“He was… entertainment for some of the guests.”  
  
“...”  
  
“I… I ruined him. When he acted out, I made him do those things.” He didn’t need to specify what he meant by ‘things’. God. And when it Shirogane thought it couldn’t get worse.  
  
“...This is the first I’ve heard of this. You’ve hidden this because…?”  
  
“I-I didn’t want to talk about him. H-He, I mean, they don’t deserve having their future stolen, after stealing everything else from them. At the very least, out of everyone, not my--”  
  
“Shido.” Shido stood straight up. “If everything you said is true, and if this person is working for you under duress, he won’t get a severe punishment under a fair trial. If anything, his sentencing could lead him to get the real help he needs.” Shido’s expression didn’t change. He’s not convinced.  
  
“The law won’t help him. You’re aware, aren’t you? The number of people they killed under my command.” True, the assassin was a mere weapon at the end, but a killer no less. Would the people of Japan truly sympathize with him? Depends on his age and background, honestly. One could only say for sure if the assassin’s identity is revealed, as well as after a thorough psychiatric evaluation.  
  
“You sound as if you’re certain that no one will show mercy. Why do you say this?”  
  
“I choose to remain silent on the matter.” Just like the method the assassin used to contact Shido, the reason why Shido believes he won't receive mercy is a huge identifying clue. Aside from the crimes, perhaps it involved a societal bias? There’s much too many of those.  
  
“Very well. One last question before we wrap this up. This is simply a hypothesis on my part, but I want to hear your thoughts on it.” Or rather, your reaction, at the very least.  
  
“What is it?”  
  
“Was the disappearance of the Detective Prince, Goro Akechi, your doing?”  
  
“I...” Shido’s already downtrodden expression deepened as his brows furrowed. “I don’t know, but--” His mouth shut suddenly. “I’m sorry, I don’t know.”  
  
“...I see. Thank you for your time, Shido. I will be taking my leave now.” The door slams shut.  
  
Goro Akechi. When Shirogane first heard of him, her first reaction was, of course, curiosity. She became a detective because of her family’s legacy, so the fact that someone took her place and created such a popular image out of himself was something worthy to look into. After all, this was her successor they were talking about. Perhaps he was a fan who was inspired by her work or was just naturally passionate about detectives. It didn’t matter, as long as they work towards justice.  
  
When Naoto first met Akechi, she was not disappointed in terms of his capabilities. His words were not of a fraud. His reasonings were sound and although they didn’t agree with everything, it was clear how intelligent he was.  
  
And yet, he was a deeply concerning figure.  
  
Invading another person’s privacy is one of the things that Shirogane is never tempted to do unless proven necessary. And yet, for this one particular person, she was.  
  
Now, it wasn’t as if his past was a mystery. From what she could find online, his background is strangely ordinary. Parents out on a business trip. Decent to excellent grades since elementary school. Lives alone. Respected. Intuition tells one that it seemed a bit too fake, but hey, not everyone had an exciting life. None of these things would be odd if Akechi hadn’t, well-- if that one _bizarre_ incident hadn’t happened.  
  
But it’s whatever. Right now, Akechi is listed as a missing person. It’s a bit too convenient. The one who was spearheading the Phantom Thieves case just happened to vanish right when the thieves’ last, most prominent victim’s heart was stolen. These three parties are connected, but how? Well, Shirogane wouldn’t be lying if she said that she considered the possibility that Akechi is the hitman she was looking for, but that’s a whole can of worms that is useless to search if it turns out to be false. These are the kind of things are best taken one step at a time.  
  
And honestly, she doesn’t want to consider it.  
  
Her phone vibrated.  
  
“Hello, this is Naoto Shirogane. Is there something you need, Kirijo-san?”  
  
“Report back to HQ. There’s something that requires your attention.”  
  
“And that is?”  
  
“We found him. Your so-called successor.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ok it's not there yet, but it's almost going to happen

Akechi vaguely remembers the first time he heard of the famous Detective Prince.

On the streets of Tokyo, he overheard whispers of praise from a couple of bakers when he was sneaking a loaf or two right under their noses. Cool and intelligent. Truly a role model for the youth as he (or she, as it was revealed later) strived for the truth of whatever case he was working on. When her true gender was revealed, there was some backlash, but people, especially other women, looked up to her for her courage and strength.

She was a person of a certain status, one that a bastard straight from the orphanage has no right of touching.

And it’s ironic, really, because even though Akechi had once dreamed of being a hero, he never desired to be a detective specifically. He never asked to be one. It was just out of necessity-- never out of want, but that doesn’t change the fact that he too, came to admire her.

It’s a struggle to look at the truth in the eye, but he had to because when he looked at all of those other people caught up in their own delusions of how great they are or how much they anticipate the future, he came to one conclusion.

The point where one loses sight of the difference between truth and fiction is the point where their humanity ends. And that’s why he had to expose him-- his father to the truth of the pain he and his mother felt. It was all necessary for him because even if what he wanted wasn’t clear, he knew that he doesn’t want to die without leaving his mark.

He’d rather not imagine living a worthless life in misery. He’d rather not meet the same fate as his mother.

That’s what he always believed in. Even after the so-called changes of heart started happening, he affirmed to himself that yes, what he is doing is valid. It’s the right way. The best way— because forcing Shido to confess isn’t the same as what he wanted. If he forcibly changed his heart, would that person even be the same Shido that he is trying to so hard to ruin? It wouldn’t be real. It wouldn’t be the truth. And that’s just isn’t right.

But somehow, it was all wrong.

* * *

“Shirogane, you’re here.”

The Shadow Operative’s HQ from the outside looks like a generic office building, and certainly, there are plenty of generic office rooms inside as well. However, what the public doesn’t know is that the building just so happens to be equipped with medical technology comparable to the best hospitals in Tokyo. After all, they have to be prepared for any Shadow-related attack, no? Kind of hard to explain the situation to a hospital.

Though, Kirijo couldn’t exactly call the current situation an ‘attack’ per se, even though she could’ve easily been crushed by the debris if she happened to be in the penthouse at the time.  
“Goro Akechi is here?” Mitsuru Kirijo’s main office is tastefully decorated with aesthetic, minimalist furniture, but right now, this is no time to admire her surroundings, much less the cup of coffee that Kirijo had offered.

“He’s been placed in emergency care. He had near-fatal injuries when we found him.”

“And where was that?”

“This building’s penthouse. He fell through the ceiling.”

It was quite fortunate that Shirogane didn’t take a sip because if she had, she would spit it out from shock. “What?”

“Quite literally, too. I’ll have to call in repairs once the investigation is over.”

“I assume you don’t know why.” When Kirijo nodded in affirmation, Shirogane continued. “A human body doesn’t have enough mass to break through the reinforced, concrete roof at terminal velocity…. Something else must have caused it.”

“I suspect as much. We didn’t see anything that could cushion his fall, but knowing what we usually deal with, I suspect that some unknown force protected him from dying.”

“Protecting him… a Persona, perhaps?” That’s the first thing that comes to mind when it comes to a supernatural, protective force.

“Possibly.” It certainly wasn’t an impossibility. Yamagishi, for example, could call her Persona in real life. If Goro Akechi has a Persona, the chances of him being the person Shirogane was looking for has shot straight up. Given the assumption that the Isshiki’s research is connected to the meta-space where Shadows dwell, as implied by Shido’s words, they would have to have a Persona to survive in such a place.

But if that’s the case, what could possibly drive a high schooler to kill people on the behalf of others? Much less for someone like Shido.

“Kirijo-san, did you happen to find any weapons on him?”

“Weapons, huh? I suppose you could call it a weapon if you have a broad imagination.”

“What do you mean?”

“Near some of the debris, we found a toy raygun and a lightsaber. I thought that one of the other Operatives left it there at first, but then I realized that made no sense since no one goes there except me, so the only possibility left is that it belonged to Akechi himself. We’re currently investigating the actual body, so there might be other things that we haven’t seen.”

“I see…."

“Are you onto something?”

“Yes, to put it bluntly.” Shirogane really didn’t want to believe it. She didn’t want to believe it for many reasons, and not because the culprit just happened to share the same title as her. She didn’t want to think of the implications of what that person had done, much less what had been done to him. She didn’t want to think about the failures of those who could've stopped it all from happening (which includes herself), but the thing is since when has 'facing the truth' been any less painful as it had before? It hasn’t, and at least, Shirogane can find solace in knowing that what she’s doing now is right. Finding the truth is the only thing she knows for sure is right.

“I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but with what you have told me… I think it’s him. I think Goro Akechi had a hand in the series of bizarre shutdowns and breakdowns.”

“In other words, he and Shido were in cahoots, or so your deductions go.” Makes sense. Both of them had an anti-Phantom Thieves stance and although they never addressed each other directly, none of their opinions, as far as anyone could tell on TV, contradicted each other.

But it doesn’t explain everything. Why did he disappear in the first place? Was it to stop the Phantom Thieves from changing Shido’s heart? Were his injuries inflicted when he battled against them? Why did he appear just now-- several months after said 'change of heart'? If he just went into hiding, what’s up with him falling from the sky? Somehow, it seems more likely that he just got out of the meta-space today.

And again, why exactly did Akechi thrust himself into this mess? Shido mentioned all of those horrible things done to him, but is that really the whole story? Just thinking about it is just enough to give a migraine, and Shirogane is the one who’s supposed to be used to this sort of thing. They could find out more if they could just talk to the man himself, but of course, he’s in no state for questioning, so there is only one thing they could do.

“After the investigation on the crime scene is all well and done, there’s not much we can do except aid in his recovery.”

“Indeed. Are you sure you don’t want to check the scene yourself?”

“I’ll do that soon enough. There’s something else I need to report to you.”

“Right, that favor Public Safety put you up with.” The government is in complete disarray after the democratically-elected Prime Minister fell from grace. On one hand, it got those troublesome government agents away from the Shadow Operatives and focused on more pressing matters. On the other, it meant more busy work for the police and Shirogane was no exception. Desperate to save face, they cooperated with (the remnants of) the SIU to look for evidence regarding Shido’s assassin. Perhaps Shido was manipulated or even brainwashed by this mysterious figure, but although Shirogane didn’t have a clear picture, the more she pieces the puzzle together, the more she’s convinced that Public Safety will have to give up on that endeavor.

“As promised, I’ll tell you all of the new information I found out. It proved to be quite enlightening.”

“So you got him to talk about his assassin. What did you do differently?”

Shirogane nodded. “I suppose you could say I made something like a deal with Shido. Where to begin….”

* * *

 The first time Goro Akechi met Naoto Shirogane was at a simple interview.

This took place during the beginnings of Akechi’s career and it wasn’t too long after he first approached Shido. By this point, he hasn’t even committed his first mental shutdown. Far from having an innocent mind, but far from having guilty hands.

Now Goro Akechi’s career wasn’t completely facilitated by Shido per se. It would be more accurate to say that Shido facilitated his fame as a detective rather than him becoming a detective himself. Thing is, Naoto Shirogane’s reputation sent waves of inspiration to many young people to be like her, so a high schooler attempting to solve an actual case isn’t exactly an uncommon occurrence. Sure, most of the time, they've just shooed away those kids from the crime scene, but there is a few handful who actually did. Those are usually just a one-time thing though, driven by a brief burst of determination. Good brats, but troublesome ones.

Unlike those people, Akechi more or less considered what he did as a necessity.

There was no way he can just approach Shido with just words; he’s not an idiot. There has to be a reason for him to trust Akechi, and fortunately, the process is simple. Talk to shadows, connect the pieces, and take down many of Shido’s rivals as a boy amateur detective. There were a couple of evil eyes from the police directed to him, for undermining their authority or whatever, but it meant nothing to him.

It’s all instrumental to his ultimate goal-- a kind of justice tailored solely for him.

And with that, he became the Second Advent of the Detective Prince. Or really, a figurehead Shido can use as he pleases. Whatever.

“Today, as many of you requested, NHK has brought you a special interview with the rising high school detective, Goro Akechi!”

This was all a necessity. The artificial lights and the cameras on record-- the eager crowd waiting for a handsome face to greet them with a handcrafted smile by a boy who just recently celebrated his 15th birthday in silence. All he had to do was to give them what they wanted.

“Glad to have you here, Akechi-kun!”

“I’m honored to have me here again. In fact, I’m a little surprised you haven’t gotten sick of me by now.” A small laughing chorus from the crowd. That wasn’t even a joke.

“Oh, you’re being too humble. It’s simple supply and demand; if the people want you, then it’s only natural we’ll ask for you.” A system of supply and demand-- the crutch being the desires of humanity is what makes it effective. Makes sense.

“In the good country of Japan, I suppose it’s only natural to serve the people. They are, after all, the reason to why I pursue justice. In a sense, you are doing your duty just as I am.” Akechi flashed a smile. Laughable. The good country that left him to rot because of his birth-- a force he couldn’t control, in favor of the stability of the norm.

The host smiled to herself. Her face is just a bit flushed. “You’re absolutely right. But moving onto business, this time we’re going to ask you on a different topic than your current cases. I’m sure you had plenty of that on the job.” She leaned in just a little closer. “You say that it was for the people’s sake, but what is it that inspired you to become a detective?”

“It’s quite simple, really.” Simple answers are easier to lie about. “It has to be Naoto Shirogane.”

“It’s just as I thought! The first Detective Prince was an inspiration to you after all!”

“Ah, but it’s not just her reputation alone, you see.” Simple answers alone aren’t enough to please the crowd, though.

“Oh? What else is there?”

“It’s true that Shirogane’s case on the Inaba murders is what one may call the metaphorical trigger, but honestly, I think it was something more… innate.”

“True, if you weren’t you, you wouldn’t be here.”

Don’t paint the image of a perfect human. Portray yourself as the _ideal_ human. “I don’t mean in the sense that I was born good. I just… saw a lot of injustice committed when I was younger. Things that shouldn’t have happened to anyone.”

“Oh. Is it not alright to pry?”

Don’t say too much. Leave interpretation for the crowd in a believable fashion. Don’t forget that this is a lie. “I don’t want to say all of the details since it was uh, an impactful moment for me to say the least.” That’s one way to put it, Akechi thought. “The injustice wasn’t inflicted towards me per se, but... how should I put this….” Be careful. One misstep will blow one’s cover. “It wasn’t hard to tell that what I saw was wrong, and if no one else would, then naturally, someone should’ve stepped in. But that never happened, and because of that, someone important to me is no longer here.”

“I-I see. I think that’s very admirable of you. Despite having every reason to lash out, you stood your ground and became a fine detective.” She doesn’t even know what happened and she’s making these assumptions.

“Even so, it doesn’t change that my motives are inherently selfish. I say it’s for the sake of others, but really, I just want to stop feeling guilty.” The best lies are the ones that are mostly true, yet not quite.

“No no, most people are driven by personal desires.” True, and it’s those desires that cause both rebellion and complacency.

“Thank you for saying that. Needless to say, when I heard that a teenager was involved with the arrest of the killer in Inaba on the news, it’s only natural to feel driven by that. I thought it was amazing and that, maybe I can be like that, too. To be honest, even now it’s a little difficult to wrap my head around the fact that I’m on TV.”

“I’m sure it’s quite jarring, just as it was for the Detective Prince herself at one point! And now, you will be standing on the same stage as her!”

“What?”

“Now then, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our surprise guest, Naoto Shirogane!”

And that’s when Akechi’s mind went blank.

He did not anticipate Shirogane’s appearance and although he didn’t panic (it doesn’t matter who shows up, they just ask basic questions anyway), there’s a sinking feeling of… something. Something that sits on top of his throat, like a rock waiting to fall and tear through his guts. Was it guilt? Or was it happiness?

Who is he kidding? It isn’t some vague feeling, he just doesn’t want to be there.

The advice he told himself is on its last legs before it fades away from his conscience. He turned to look at the side, but Shirogane striding onto the TV set didn’t quite process until she took a seat. She took a more a feminine appearance than what she previously had during her high school years, but the air she gave off was no less professional.  
Well, Akechi will just have to keep his act together.

“We’re glad to have you here.”

“Thank you. I don’t normally give interviews on TV, but I wanted to see this rumored successor of mine.” She came here to see him. She came here to watch him. Akechi’s mind is on loop.

“I’m honored to hear that.” And here Shirogane thought, don’t be, it was simply curiosity. It doesn’t matter if this was all curiosity, Akechi thought, just don’t pry too much. Akechi offered a hand, and Shirogane gave a firm shake.

“It’s a pleasure. I heard about what you said earlier-- it’s much more than an honor to hear that my actions had been a positive influence on others.”  
Akechi replied back with a good-natured smile. “You deserve it. I can’t say it would’ve happened if you didn’t.” And that wasn’t even a lie.

The TV host piped up. “What do you do nowadays, Shirogane-san?”

“I’m still working with the law enforcement, though I doubt I have much of interest to tell about my work.”

The interview continued with arbitrary questions from the TV host. The questions were supposedly popular, but almost surprisingly lackluster despite Shirogane’s appearance. Questions about her work were brief, as she was not joking about having little to say about her work (or rather, nothing she wishes to release to the public), so the questions were mostly personal, many of which were questions that any other celebrity would have to answer, with few that could actually be considered to be catered towards the two detectives. Still, given the audience’s laughs in the background, Akechi’s few quips were enough to keep the show be mildly entertaining. And mildly entertaining was enough.

Yeah, Shirogane had no experience in being an entertainer, nor does she intend to be.

Despite the brief period of... not-panic, Akechi fulfilled his role as easily as before. Of course, Shirogane at this point isn’t the most threatening figure on stage. Her eyes were directed towards the host, for the most part, so rather than being under a questioning gaze of a seasoned detective, she is simply another interviewee. Honestly, Akechi couldn’t understand why he thought otherwise.

He shouldn’t have let his guard down.

It was quite fortunate that his stomach didn’t give a loud sound. Sure, he could cover it up with a cute joke or two, but even small things like that could cause his charismatic persona to crumble. Thus, the soft rumble of his stomach is a little concerning. Perhaps he could convince Sae to take him out for sushi. Basically, it isn’t an issue on its own.  
Problem is, the next question was about the origin of the original Detective Prince, and what Shirogane had to say about that was…

“To be honest, my duty as a detective stems from my family history. It’s true that at the start it felt more like an obligation, you know, to carry on my parent’s legacy, but the more I thought about it, the more I came to… I suppose, the more I became adjusted to detective work.”

“In a way, it’s fate, right?”

“I guess you could call it that. At the end, it was my own choice, but… it’s true that if I was born in different circumstances, I can’t say I would be the same as I would be now. A lot of things would be different, really, if I didn’t have the same trust I have with my comrades. Not just those I work with either. I keep contact with my high school friends as well.”

“Oh? If you don’t mind how are your friends like?”

“Uh, they’re... quite unique actually. Ummm…” Shirogane seemed to be deep in thought as if she is having a difficult time to form words. She described them one by one with a certain fondness that Akechi didn’t have the capacity to understand at the time. It was Shirogane at her most vibrant and the crowd felt her joy from both her expression and her voice.

It felt disgusting, Akechi thought.

It wasn’t so much the idea of friendship that disgusts him. He sees it every day, whether it be in reality or media. Perhaps it was because the way the host looked, the way Shirogane looked, or hell, maybe even how the crowd looked because it has to be something-- something that is causing the bile in his stomach to rise. He wasn’t sure himself really.

He’d rather not akin it to the feeling of jealousy, as much as he suspects that’s the case.

And not long after, the segment ended. As soon as Akechi was out of the camera’s way, he dashed towards the nearest restroom. Slammed the door shut. Slammed the stall door shut. The sickness that gurgled in his stomach shot up his esophagus as he kneeled over the toilet seat, spilling of the little food he ate over the course of the day.

Damn.

As Akechi’s muscles relax, his ears pick up the faint sound of footsteps behind him. Slightly turning his head, it was Shirogane who stood behind him with a concerned expression.  
It didn’t take much to figure that commenting that she’s in the men’s restroom is the appropriate response.

“Are you alright?”

“... I am. I must’ve eaten something bad earlier. L-Like, I don’t know, something.” Smooth.

“I heard from your coworker that you don’t eat well.”

“Hmm?”

“Prosecutor Niijima, I believe.” Of course, she was the only one who would’ve cared, if anyone at all. “It was a brief encounter for a small case, but I must admit, what she told me was part of the reason I accepted the show’s offer. I tried to get a hold of you before, but such an opportunity did not come up.” Shirogane wasn’t known to prefer being on TV, despite her fame. No doubt, she had quite a few, including that one time regarding the previously mentioned Inaba murders, but for her to willingly go up on stage for an interview that had nothing to do with her work is beyond a rarity.

It would've been touching if Akechi hadn’t had that part of him that constantly whispers to him that he is cooperating with his politician father to obtain revenge. If Akechi hadn’t been deliberately avoiding calls and emails to accommodate the large amount of work Shido dumped on him at the beginning. That compared to Shirogane, he’s no detective-- he’s no better than a criminal. A street rat. He never deserved to meet her.

“It’s fine, really.” Akechi cleared out his throat. “She’s over exaggerating. Maybe it’s not the ideal diet, but I eat three meals a day.”

“She told me that you consider a single apple a meal.”

“...”

“Perhaps I’m stepping out of line since we’ve just met, but take it as a piece of advice from someone who has been in your position.” Shirogane squatted down to meet Akechi’s face at eye level. “There’s nothing wrong with asking for help. Anyone worth speaking to would understand that.”

“...I know.” Akechi coughed one last time. “I know.” Shirogane had a skeptical look, but she didn’t voice her distrust in Akechi’s words. What would she have said after that? Repeat the same words again? No, to a teenager, or anyone really, that would just be obnoxious. All she could do is to put her trust in both Akechi and those closest to him, whoever they are.

“Well, then….” Akechi stood up straight once more. Composed as he usually appeared. The stark difference between what he looked like now and what he did 5 seconds ago was unsettling, to say the least. “It was… nice to meet you. I hope we’ll meet again.”

“I’m sure we will cross paths again. Don’t push yourself though. I speak from experience that repressing yourself for the sake of your job is… less than healthy.”

It’s funny because Akechi’s job, in itself, is a cornerstone of his identity. Without it, who would he be?

Right, some kid dying on the streets or something.

“Yeah, of course.”

* * *

Akechi woke at the sound of distant voices.

He couldn’t feel his arms, legs, or anything really. Just barely, he cracked his eyes open to see white. Was this the afterlife? Heaven? Hell? Whatever, he thought. Does it really matter?

Even so, he found himself feeling his fingers twitch. The voices became more clear, but Akechi didn’t have the energy to process their words. An alto on the high side. A treble on the low side. The voices were distinctly female and for a moment, he had a dumb thought that if this was the afterlife, maybe it was his mother calling out to him. He tried sitting up, but he froze when he felt something move when he tried to lift his arm. To his right, he saw an IV.

So he was alive after all.

“Don’t move too much. Your wounds were too severe.”

A woman with long, blue hair moved around the curtain that previously concealed her. Yes, Akechi realized. He knows this person too well. She sighed.

“And so we meet again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> brain: update thaumaturgy  
> me: no
> 
> uff and I didn't even update this before the new year. oof  
> also hao2write an interview

**Author's Note:**

> I just needed a fic where Naoto and Goro meet because there is a severe lack of those.
> 
> I don't know how to write P3 characters (never played it, never watched a playthrough, and I heard that the spinoffs flanderized their characters), so they probably won't make much of an appearance. x'd
> 
> Well, not that I would do any better with Naoto or any other P4 character since it's been awhile since the last time I saw a P4 playthrough, so this is the first time I wrote a character outside of my comfort zone. (I still slip into my 1st person writing habits when I'm writing 3rd person orz)


End file.
